Application Reviews

With the new Cortana virtual assistant, Windows catches up with Apple's iOS and Google's Android in a major way. Microsoft takes some of the best parts of Apple's and Google's virtual assistants and adds a few useful tools of its own.

Microsoft Office fans who've spent the last nine months using the software's suite of apps on their tiny smartphone screens are probably thrilled that they can finally create and update documents on the iPad's significantly bigger display surface.

Microsoft Corp Chief Executive Satya Nadella may unveil an iPad version of the company's Office software suite on March 27, a source familiar with the event told Reuters, and use his first big press appearance to launch the company's most profitable product in a version compatible with Apple Inc's popular tablet.

Microsoft's Office is the go-to software package for creating and sharing documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Google's Docs has emerged as a good, free alternative for lightweight tasks. But what's often overlooked is Apple's iWork.

The impression you get stepping into most phone carriers' showrooms is that the programmers behind Apple's iOS and Google's Android are driving most of the innovation in smartphones. You'll find few phones on display that run other software systems.